In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect Speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech.

She said to me, "I prepared evening snacks and he prepared the tea. "

The correct answer is option 1 i.e. She told me that she prepared evening snacks and he prepared the tea.

Explanation

To change a sentence from Direct to Indirect speech, we need to make the following changes-

• We make changes in Tense of Reported Speech only if the Reporting Verb is in Past Tense
• If the sentence of the Reported speech is an Assertive sentence we replace 'commas' with the conjunction 'that'
• If personal pronouns are there in the Reported Speech, will be changed according to the Subject and Object of the Reporting Verb
• Reporting Verb 'said to' will be changed into told.

Note- But always do Remember when the Reported Speech (Direct) expresses two simultaneous actions in the Past Tense, then there will be no change in Tense of Indirect speech.

 Thus, the Reported speech of the given sentence expresses two simultaneous actions in the Past Tense; hence, the Tense of the Reported Speech (Indirect) will not change

One can opt Option 2 as an answer but do remember the exception given above-when the Reported Speech (Direct) expresses two simultaneous actions in the Past Tense, then in Indirect Speech, there will be no change in Tense

Correct sentence- She told me that she prepared evening snacks and he prepared the tea.